After magickal musical journey to the Professor J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth, 'Dol Guldur' (1996), my expectations for the next Summoning album were inordinate. 'Dol Guldur' was the album, that led me to the fantasy sonic world of Summoning, so naturally it has a special place in my heart. Beautiful cover art of castle on mountainside held my hopes high as I travelled home from a record store as fast as I was riding with Shadowfax.

My initial impression was that 'Stronghold' was more easier to get into than Summoning's back catalogue. I still hear this album the similar way, after two newer releases. Guitars play more audible part on this album. While still possessing the feeling of ancient black metal, now the guitars are more metal in general. Razor-sharp riffs vary with more melodic and complex riffage and leads. Summoning's music is very epic and bombastic for a big part. Huge yet simplistic synthesizer melodies are backed with somewhat militant beats, all created with a drum machine, but done well. Darkwave, folk and ambient styles are utilized. Echo brings in more epic feel, as I get sensations of standing on mountainside watching wide horizon of the Middle-Earth. At times the music take turn to more mundane feels, nicely alternating with the epic parts. Some of the songs (e.g. 'Long Lost...', 'Like Some...' and 'The Rotting Horse...') are among the best Summoning material, but there are some songs/melodies I have hard time to get into. I don't know for sure, but melodies that I find tough are very Eastern European and Russian. Many moods are experince during 'Stronghold': Sadness, evilness, proudness and listener's personal emotions what this might raise. Generally this album is somewhere in the middle or bit below that in my Summoning releases list, the best album being up there. Soundwise this is more powerful than previous Summoning releases, more professional.

Black metal raises its ugly head on male vocals. Harsh shrieks and screams are almost as evil as Nazguls' ghastly shrieking. The voice is not over everything else, but somewhat hid behind the music. Therefore it feels more like an instrument. Lyrics aren't printed (as always), so they are very hard to get. Strong female vocals on 'Where Hope...' bring in new mood. As is parts of Tolkien's works based on Nibelugen myth, so is 'Stronghold's lyrics. Weirder thing is, that a couple of samples are taken from Braveheart movie and The Legend soundtrack, but they fit in altogether.

Summoning perform perfect ambient music (not in truest meaning of the term) for Tolkien's tales. The best way to enjoy this is to listen to it with headphones, artifial lights off and a few candles burning. Close your eyes and you find yourself in the Middle-Earth. If you love Tolkien's work, that is. Summoning are inimitable (I really pity for those who try to copy them).

Rating: 8- (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
02/02/2004 10:57